Torpedo.



J. M. SEYMOUR, .ln.

TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE? 1917.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1. M. SEYMOUR, 1R.

TORPEDO.

'APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2.1917.

1,275,482. Patented Aug. 13, 1918..

2 SHEEIS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: MENTOR Z%% Wm; M. 551mm, J73,

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m: mmms rmzns can. Pnamum JAMES M. SEYMOUR, 31%, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

.TORPEDO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

Application filed June 2, 1917. Serial No. 172,403.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. SEYMOUR, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Torpedoes;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention has reference, generally, to an improvedconstruction of torp'edo; and the invention relates, more particularly,to a novel arrangement and construction of dirigible torpedo providedwith a self-contained power plant for propelling the same.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a dirigibletorpedo having a surface float for suporting the same in a submergedcondition, and the interior of said torpedo having arranged therein, ina novel manner, a propelling hydrocarbon engine provided with meansconnected between the torpedo hull and supporting float for supplyingair to support the functioning of the said hydrocarbon engine.

Other objects of the present invention, not at this time moreparticularly enumerated, will be clearly understood fromthe followingdetailed description of the same.

With the various objects of my present invention in view the sameconsists, primarily, in the novel construction of torpedo and selfcontained propelling power plant therefor hereinafter set forth; and theinvention consists, furthermore, in the several novel arrangements andcombinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the detailsof the construction of the same, all of which will be more fullydescribed in the following specification, and then finally embodied inthe claims whichare appended to and which form an essential part of saidspecification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a part side elevation and part longitudinal section ofmy novel torpedo illustrating the internal arrangement of the selfcontained propelling power plant therefor; Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection taken on line 2-2.in said Fig. 1, drawn on an enlarged scale; Fig.3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the water extractor of theair supplying means, also draWn on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 4 is adetail longitudinal section of a slightly modified construction andarrangement of air intake connected with the surface float ofthetorpedo.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

eferring now to the said drawings, the reference character 1 indicatesthe complete torpedo, the same being generally of the same dirigibletype as is disclosed in my copending application for dirigible torpedofiled May 19th, 1917, under Serial Number 169,615/15. Said torpedocomprises a hull 2, preferably of the elongated cigar shape illustrated,and providing within its interior housing for the several operatingapparatus for driving and controlling the same, and for firing theexplosive charge carried by the same. The reference character 3indicates a suitable surface float or buoyant body for supporting saidhull in submerged condition. Said float 3 is operatively connected withthe hull 2 by means of hanger-members 4 and 5, which are respectivelyriveted, or otherwise suitably secured, to the hull at the bow end andforward of the stern end there of, and which are respectively riveted,or otherwise suitably secured by their upper ends to the bow and abaftthe midships portion of the float 3. Said hanger members are preferablyconstructed of steel, and in cline rearwardly so as to permit the noseor bow of the torpedo to project beyond the bow of the float 3. Thehanger-member 5, that is the stern hanger-member, is made in hollowtubular form so as to porvide an air conduit 6 within the same, thelower end of which extends into the interior of the hull 2, and thepurpose of which will be presently disclosed. The upper end of saidhanger member 5 preferably extends upwardly through the interior ofsurface float 3 to the deck ofthe latter. Said surface float 3 isprovided upon its deck with an upwardly projecting hollow or tubularfunnel member or mast 7, which is triangular in cross section, so as topresent its apex forward, whereby the same cuts the wind, and offers aslittle wind resistance to the forward movement of the float and hull aspossible. The back Wall 8 of said hollow or tubular funnel member ormast 7 isprovided, adjacent to its upper end, with a plurality ofperforations" 9 which afiord air intakes vinto the interior conduit 10of said funnel member or mast.

Said upper end of said funnel membengr v mast is further provided WithrearWardly.

' rreiec eg'fl nge a pr f r y flar d outranged that its l ov ver-end is,cormected in cdinmunication withlthe upper end of the interior .of saiconduit 6' provided by said hanger mem- Suitably arranged and located[the i l hull 2 is a. hydrocarbon or gasolene internal combustion 3engine I which may be, of any desirable type, and Which is arrangecl toprovide power 7 drivingtheishaft to which the torpedo propellers 14;isconnected. Con'nected with said engine, fuel .manifoldlfi is acarbureter 'idflvhich may also be of anywell known or vdesiredconstruction. The reference character 17 indicates a fuelor gasolenesup: ply or storage tank, which is suitably connect'ed by: piping 18 tothe carbureter 7 be understood; that the Of course, t Will I H practicaluse otthe hydrocarbon engine as the propelling power plant of mysubmerged 'dir-i ible torpedo, depends entirely upon and is onlyrendered of possible use,

- by the provision of adequate means for supplying to the carbureterthereof unlimited quantities of atmospheric air substantially fiee fromWater. To this end I have provided means wherebyatmospheric air may betaken above,water level of thepsurface float and delivered to thecarbureter -16 Within the submerged, hull 2 of the torpedo. A part ofthis air supplying means I have already described, to Wit, the funnelmember or mast? and the hanger-member 5 inter connected therewith. Sincethe conduit 6 of the hanger-member communicates with the interior of thehull 2,1it vvill'be a parent that any suitable means may be used toconnect such conduitfi with the air intake of c 'lrburet er 16, eitherdirectly or,

- directly, so; that afsufi-icient quantity of; at- V mospheric air is,readily supplied formixturewith ga olene tosupply'the combustible fuelfor driving the ngine 12. Since, how; ever, there is alwa smore or lessdanger of some Water finding its Way into and through-the air deliveryconduits 10 and 6 I prefer-to interposebetvvee11gtheiiiiner end of the-conduit GQand the'carbureter 16 an era-tractor mechanism whereby anysuchwater may be ext-masses removed, so as'j not proper in ctiojiingo'f' the latter in pie-aiming a proper ffiel' 'mi'zit ure, {and messa equentdnterference against-the entrance of- Water, from spray or for ginslocate elusive-1 I scribe the carbu "ter- '16, to the detrimentoifthe vino'd ifi ti I n "iiigs'; In this"construetioiiffide away with theproper operation Qf-the. engine. l2, This extractor membei" comprisespreferably a closed hollow dru-m 19 having a conical bottom 20, to whichis connected the intake conduit 21 ofia pump 22, of the rotary of anyother suitable type. Said 'druin I9 -is '-ftirtherprovided at one sideWith a tangential air intake or nozzle member 23, which is connecteddirectly i'vith" :fthddi'scharge end of the conduit 15 so as to receivethe airtherendm,afid their deliver the same tangentially-into theinterior" of saiddruni ype shown? r I9.- Theair thii'senterin g' saiddrum '19 is 'i given a; swirling mavensem therein, ana-its exit fro andruni is' thereby delayed ;so that any Water iii the term of drops, etc,enterlng'vviththe air may" be separated by the centrifugalfforce' and,gander the force of gravitatijonftend to drop intothe' cone shapedbottom "20 of 'saidideas; "and "there to accumulate. Connect-Edi withtheapper or top Wall of closure Q4301: fsaididrumfisi an air outlet' 25with' which is connected the conduit or pisses, leading toithe airintake of the carbureter 16, 50 1113171356 air freed of Water drawn mmthe upper end (if said drum to the Ca tu-rate and; then mixed. withgasolene" within the latter to form a proper combustible fuel or mixturesupplied by the carbureter to the engine according todt's'needs' v IfAiny Water a c'cumulatedwithin the cone shaped bottom of the dm-miajs'cimwn off by" the pump-22;,- and dischargedbutboard through thedischarge pipe. 2? intothe sea by the operation of said pump; Said dis?charge pipe" 27 is also provided with check-valve 28 of suitableconstrueti' mso that sea Water is prevented from backing up trough thesameand the pump. It will alsojbe understood-that the pump maybe '(i'riven from the ngine, or otherwise, by

suitable transmission mechanism. i From the ab ve description it will bereadily" a arent that my present-invention pro- 'vides' a novel andpracticalmeans for sup plyi'n g air merged o sub-surfac torpeda thusrender ossible'to tiii'zethecomparatively t; internal "combustiofif e aWithin and-'drlvi'ngasubat ions r esi hingiromgits location Withinasubsurface ensue-mergedhull; 1

* Of course, war 1 s g e ma bemaae the arrangement and constructiono'fthe an con-(1111 as 1 the same are atorpedo" hi1 c t-entry i do sodesire whine-my ir'e t' the arran geihenii abfi afiirther1 exam pgie ofSue l "llii'stra-te the funnel member or mast 7, and provide the sterndeck of my surface float 3 with a plurality of air intake perforations29 which lead directly into an air collecting compartment 30 in thestern of said surface float. Said compartment 30 may be connected by asuitably formed conduit 31 with the upper end of said conduit 6, so thatthe air may flow from said compartment 30 through said conduit 6directly to the apparatus within the torpedo hull 2.

It will also be understood that the atmospheric air is drawn through thedelivery conduits,extractor, and" carburetor by the suction produced bythe engine 12, when operating, in the usual manner.

The exhaust from the engine 12 is conveyed through an exhaust pipe 32which emerges from the hull 2, and which extends aft to a point aboveand astern the propeller 14, so that the breaking up of the water bybubbles of exhaust gas ejected from the engine takes place astern thepropeller and consequently does not disturb the water in which thepropeller is rotating, so as to in terfere or render ineffective thethrust of the propeller.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the several arrangements andcombinations of the various devices and parts of my above describedinvention, as well as in the details of the construction of the same,without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in thefollowing claims. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exactarrangements and combinations of the various parts as described in theforegoing specification, nor do I confine myself to the exactconstruction of the details thereof as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

I claim 1. In a submerged torpedo, a hydrocarbon engine for propellingthe same, a fuel supply for said engine, means projecting above thewater level for admitting air into said torpedo, a carbureter for mixingsaid fuel and said air for delivery to said engine, and means connectedin mutual communication between said air admission means and saidcarburetor for separating water which may accompany the air through saidair admission means.

2. In a submerged torpedo, a hydrocarbon enginefor' propelling the same,a fuel supply for said engine, means projecting above the water levelfor admitting air into said torpedo, a carburetor for mixing said fueland said air for delivery to said engine, means connected in mutualcommunication between said air admission means and said carbureter forseparating water which may accompany the air through said air admissionmeans, comprising a cylindrical drum having a conical bottom, an airnozzle communicating with said air admission means and adapted to enterthe side of said drum tangentially, a pump connected with the conicalbottom of said drum, a dischargepipe connected with said pump andprojecting externally of said torpedo, a checkvalve in saiddischarge-pipe, and an air supply pipe leading out of the top of saiddrum to the air intake of said carbureter.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 31st day of May, 1917.

JAMES M. SEYMOUR, JR.

Witnesses:

GEORGE D. RICHARDS, FREDK. H. W. FRAENTZEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

1 Washington, I). G.

